How to Get a Flawless Web Design Review

Feedback is essential to a company’s success, but it can be worrisome at times too. A design review can be one of the most stressful milestones in any project.

If you aim on getting a flawless website design review you need major commitment on the part of the primary designer and the entire team that will be participating in the design review. You, as a designer, can help in setting up certain rules that are to be followed and can help in resulting in a better design project. Here are a few tips to help you –

1) Focus on the logistics and try to figure them out : The designers always need to be present at the website designreview in India. If there are multiple designers, the lead designer must be there and he should run the meeting. Five to eight people are enough for a team and the number shouldn’t be too large. Set a time for the meeting and inform all the participants in advance so that maximum benefit can be derived from the meeting.

2) Send invites : Remind the reviewers one week in advance so that you don’t need to cancel and reschedule. Make sure that you include everything that is to be talked about in the meeting. Be sure to mention the time and the location, the outline of the project goals and its constraints, the main goal of that specific meeting, the project timeline and where you stand, as well as the materials that will be required in the meeting such as mobile phones or tablets.

3) Prepare : The art director and the lead designer should be running the review. It can be intimidating, so make sure you prepare for it well in advance. Anticipate questions that might be asked so that there is no pause in the discussion. It is possible that the group isn’t ready to discuss the design, if this is case reschedule the meeting rather than forcing it because it is not going to do good to anyone to be a part of a meeting where there is no good outcome.

4) Don’t take the feedback personally : Designers are passionate about their designs and the amount of passion and effort they put in them. But you must remember to lock your feelings aside as the meeting is about the design and is not a personal jab against you. It is not necessary that you’ll find every piece of feedback useful, and it is okay to discard few parts of the feedback. You should aim on finding recurring themes in the feedback that seem to have some potential.

5) Start the review by recapping everything : Start the review by talking about the design goals that you made. Talk about the problems that arose in achieving the goals. Describe the timeline and set milestones, talk about what is going to happen next. Talk about the design and how it will solve the problems. Be open to feedback of all kinds. Try wrapping it up ten minutes before the end of the meeting.

6) Be honest : If you are honest and respectful towards your reviewers they will give you the same treatment. Make it a point to ask questions and try to take notes if possible. Don’t commit to changes during the review that you might not be able to accomplish.

7) Follow Up : Once you’re through with the meeting take your notes into consideration and talk to the team about what their next steps should be. Assign them their work accordingly.

A design review is nothing to be scared of, you just need to get used to the meeting and make the most of them.